Human Rights Watch: Syrian War Debris Claims Civilian Lives

Landmines and explosives remnants of war in Syria continue to claim lives and shatter dreams, turning entire areas into invisible fields of death awaiting civilian victims returning to their homes after years of displacement.

A report released today by Human Rights Watch reveals that these deadly remnants have claimed the lives of at least 249 people, including 60 children, and injured 379 others since December 2024, according to data from the international NGO for the safety of non-governmental organizations.

A worsening daily tragedy

Moments of joy of the return of displaced persons turn into tragic disasters, as with the case of the family of Ranim Abdul Hakim Masalma in Daraa, who lost her mother and her 7-year-old niece in an explosion of an unexploded weapon brought by her teenage son from an abandoned military base near their home. Ranim says, "He had no idea of the risks," reflecting a complete absence of awareness programs in the most contaminated areas.

In Idlib countryside, Fahd Waleed Al-Ghajar (35 years old), an engineer volunteering to clear mines, recounts how an ammunition he was trying to move exploded in an agricultural land, ending his life and leaving his wife and four children without any financial or psychological support. These stories are just the tip of the iceberg, as estimates from local organizations indicate that mines have killed more than 3,500 civilians since 2011, including 930 children.

Obstacles hindering clearance efforts

Despite local attempts to clear these remnants, facts show that challenges exceed available capacities. In northwest Syria, the White Helmets civil defense operates amidst a severe shortage of equipment and funding, managing to clear only 737,000 square meters out of vast contaminated areas, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The lack of precise maps of mine locations, especially those planted by the Assad regime along the borders with Lebanon and Turkey, makes the task akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

Documents obtained by the White Helmets from former regime headquarters in Idlib show that some areas contain hundreds of randomly planted mines, but the lack of technical expertise hinders swift action. Additionally, the lack of coordination among organizations working in this field wastes already limited resources.

Urgent appeals falling on deaf ears

Human Rights Watch warns that delaying addressing this issue will worsen the humanitarian disaster, as millions of Syrians rely on contaminated agricultural lands for their livelihoods. The organization calls on the transitional government and the international community to urgently establish a national mine clearance authority, fund survey operations, and provide compensation to victims.

Richard Weir from Human Rights Watch emphasizes that "clearing these explosives is not an option, but a fundamental requirement to restore normal life in Syria." Yet, to date, these appeals have not translated into concrete actions, leaving civilians facing an uncertain fate between risky return or remaining in displacement camps.

Background of the issue

The roots of the crisis trace back to the long years of war, where all conflict parties, especially the Assad regime and Russian forces, used mines and cluster munitions indiscriminately. Despite over a decade passing, these weapons still claim lives daily, making Syria one of the most explosive-contaminated countries in the world.

At a time when Syria needs at least ten years to clear nearly a million pieces of ammunition, according to estimates by Halo Trust, the question remains: how many more victims will be added to the list before the world takes action?